The railroad built here in 1896 linked Miami with "civilization" and cleared the way for a property boom that has never stopped. Miami bursts with energy and character, like a fresh-faced sassy showgirl that lives to entertain. Far and away one of the most exciting cities in the world, it was a favorite getaway spot for celebrities in the 50s, and then had a few quiet decades until the designer cop show Miami Vice gave the city a vision of what it could be. That was all it took for Miami to reinvent itself in an amazing example of life imitating art. "The Magic City" is a sprawling, eclectic place with many separate neighborhoods, each with a distinctive character and some, like South Beach, that are small enough to explore on foot. The beaches are clean and bright, touted by most people as some of the most beautiful in the world. Clubbing is practically a career for the SoBe flocks. Nature is so pervasive and irrepressible that soft grass and tender flowering plantsgrow right through the sidewalks. The air is so clean that the sun seems to shine brighter than anywhere else.

The spirit of the city is tropical, vibrant, and exotic, like a non-stop party with a culture of diversity so infused into its character that it's known as "The Crossroads of the Americas." The alluring thing about Miami, really, is that it makes you feel like you've left the United States, swept through Latin America, and landed on a Caribbean island. If you're looking for a bit of la vida loca without needing a passport, go to Miami!